Image credit: London Garden Blog
There are some DIY home improvements you can do all year round, but others you don’t want to be stressing about when the cold weather hits. Work through our checklist of home maintenance jobs to complete before the Winter sets in so you can rest assured your home will be ready and looking its best for the frosty season.
1. If it’s on your radar to fix or replace any windows or doors, now's the time
Don't wait around only for the weather to turn and your home to be faced with the elements when the work is being carried out. Upgrading your windows and doors will improve your home’s insulation over the winter months, which will reduce your energy bills and regulate air flow.
Think ahead and ensure you’ve invested in the right window dressing for your new windows and doors. Made to measure shutters offer privacy, light control and style, and bring a ‘finished look’ to bare windows. Shutters also give an extra layer of insulation when they’re closed. They help block draughts and prevent heat loss through gaps in windows.
Tip! If you have large windows, window dressing can be expensive but DIY Shutters offer a reasonable price on high quality shutters you can fit yourself. See how easy it is to measure and install shutters.
Image credit: Merrin Joinery
2. Paint the exterior of your home
Not a nice home improvement to do in the depths of winter when frostbite prevents you holding the paintbrush securely and messes up your cutting in! Painting the exterior of your home is a big job to DIY but one that will keep the curb appeal of your home for many years to come. Ensure you’re using the best exterior paint you can afford that offers weathershield for the onset of damp, frosty or snowy weather.
Tip! To really smarten up the exterior of your home, consider self-installing shutters in all the front facing windows in your home. Shutters have been known to increase the value of a property and shopping with DIY Shutters means you can afford to do several windows for the price of one purchased through a full service measure and install shutter company. Installing shutters yourself is easy with our guides and customer service, and will save you money.
Image credit: The Hampshire Door Company
3. Paint your front door
If you’re interested in improving the exterior of your home on a smaller scale, give your front door a fresh lick of paint to smarten it up ready for your Christmas wreath. This is a DIY home improvement you’ll want to finish before the temperatures drop as it will require your front door being left open while each coat of paint drys. Choose a dry, non-windy day to do this to prevent dust or debris getting blown onto wet paint.
4. Clean your gutters
Late autumn is a good time of year to take a rain check (pun intended!) on your drains and gutters. Leaves, twigs and moss from the roof can build up inside gutters and drainpipes causing frustrating blockages and leaks that can disrupt your sleep when rain falls. Before the rainy winter sets in and after the leaves have fallen, book in your annual gutter clean and be worry free for another year.
Image credit: Farrow & Ball
5. Get your central heating in order
Top on the list for every homeowner pre-winter is to ensure your boiler and radiators are in full working order. This means booking in your annual gas inspection if you haven’t already, installing that radiator you’ve been meaning to install, and bleeding your radiators if they are at irregular temperatures or making noises. Contact a trained heating engineer who can assist you in taking the measures needed to ensure your boiler and heating is working efficiently ready for winter.
6. Fit draught excluders for extra insulation
According to Edinburgh World Heritage up to 20% of the heat from our homes is lost through draughts. It’s remarkable what a difference installing draught excluders to your letterbox and on the bottom of your exterior doors can do to retain heat in your home. Installing draught excluders is a simple DIY home improvement even novice DIY’ers can achieve.
7. Check lagging on your exterior pipes
Take a quick check on any gas pipes that run outside of your property as these need to be encased with certified insulation to prevent frost damage. Uncovered gas pipes can freeze, crack and leak in the cold weather, causing dangerous and expensive problems you don’t want to be faced with. If in any doubt, call a trained heating engineer for their advice.